NEW LONDON, CT – 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps is excited to announce its team of educators who will be leading the organization throughout the 2018 Drum Corps International Season!
“We are incredibly pleased to have such an amazing team in place. These are all familiar faces to us and they represent the best of what we have to offer to 7R. Our members will continue to benefit immensely from both the on and off the field experiences that these individuals bring to 7th Regiment,” said Director Kevin Lowery.
7th Regiment will host 7RX (a one day experience day) on November 19th and will be holding auditions for the 2018 season during the weekend of December 15-17. Click here for more details… https://www.seventhregiment.org/join-2018/
Battery Arranger/ Battery Caption Head – Kevin Thompson
Brass Caption Head/High Brass Manager – Sean Lee
Brass Caption Head/Low Brass Manager – Jason Arnold
Color Guard Designer/ Color Guard Caption Head – Rachel Lowery
Front Ensemble Caption Head – Matt Bronson
Visual Caption Head – Jesse Burbank
KEVIN THOMPSON
Kevin Thompson is an accomplished percussionist and educator that excels in the marching arts. A native of Connecticut, he began his percussion education as a member of the Col. John Chester Fife and Drum Corps. As a member of this group for nearly 10 years, Kevin had the privilege to study the art of rudimental drumming with Brendan D. Mason. As a student of David Smith at Western Connecticut State University, Kevin was able to apply his background in rudimental drumming to the greater world of percussion music. Kevin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance from Western Connecticut State University, as well as a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance from The Hartt School.
Kevin is an active performer and clinician, having appeared in numerous events held by the Percussive Arts Society. Kevin has also performed with many of the world’s leading percussion performers including Joe McCarthy, Dave Samuels, Ted Piltzecker, Benjamin Toth, and Grammy Award winner Shane Shanahan. Kevin is currently a Doctoral Candidate at The Hartt School, studying percussion performance and pedagogy with Benjamin Toth, as well as African percussion traditions with Joe Galeota. Kevin is also a member of the prestigious Performance 20/20 program, Hartt’s honors chamber music ensemble.
Kevin got his introduction to the marching arts when he joined the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010. He marched with 7th Regiment for two seasons, acting as battery section leader in his second year. Kevin then went on to march with the Madison Scouts in 2012 and 2014, and aged out with the Cadets in 2015, where he earned the Percussion Rookie-of-the-Year award. Since aging out, Kevin has set his eyes on the world of education. He has worked with numerous high school programs around the state of Connecticut, and is currently serving as the Percussion Caption Head/Arranger for Newtown High School. Kevin worked briefly with the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps before returning home to 7th Regiment, where he served as the Battery Coordinator for the 2017 season. Kevin is incredibly excited to be stepping into the role of Battery Caption Head/Arranger for the 2018 season, and looks forward to the future success of the program.
RACHEL LOWERY
Originally, from Indiana, Rachel is a graduate of La Porte High School. Rachel holds a BA in Liberal Studies from Southern Connecticut State University with a concentration in Theatre. Before coming to Connecticut, she was a student at Purdue University, where she spent three years with the Purdue Modern Dance Company.
Rachel was a member of the Phantom Regiment Color Guard in 2001 and 2002. After drum corps, she trained to be an educator with Fred J. Miller Inc., and taught guard clinics around the United States for two summers. She also went on to be a private clinician for programs in Alabama and Illinois through FJM. Rachel continued her teaching with many programs in the Midwest, including La Porte and Warren Central High Schools.
Rachel has been an active guard educator since her move to the east. She split her time working with the color guards of the Norwalk High School and Trumbull High School marching bands, serving as the movement specialist for both. Rachel was also the director of the four time MAC Champion Trumbull High School A Guard for four years.
Rachel is a certified labor and postpartum doula and lives in the New Haven area with her husband and three kids. She is excited to be returning to 7th Regiment for her second season as Color Guard Caption Head.
MATT BRONSON
An active performer and educator, percussionist Matthew Bronson has carved his way into the world of music with a unique skill set and background. A New England native, Matt received a bachelors degree in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University, and a Master
of Music Degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Minnesota Duluth. This diverse background finds him both at home as a dynamic performer and teacher.
Currently, Matt serves as an Adjunct Professor of Music at Eastern Connecticut State University. Here, he directs the World Percussion Ensemble, Co-Directs the University Percussion Ensembles, and instructs a private studio of undergraduate students. In addition to his work at ECSU, Matt serves as a Percussion Specialist for the South Windsor Public School
District, and is the Vice President of the Connecticut Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.
In the world of pageantry, Matt has taught some of the most successful marching ensembles in New England, most notably WGI Medalist, Norwalk High School. A sought after arranger, his skills can be heard across the United States, from Castleton University in Vermont, to Grand Rapids High School in Minnesota.
An active freelance percussionist, Matt has performed with The Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra, The Minnesota Ballet, The Connecticut Patriots Fife and Drum Corps, Hartford City Singers, Quey Percussion Duo, Playhouse On Park, The Danbury Symphony Orchestra, Shoreline Steel Band, Camerata, and the Big Time Jazz Orchestra to name a few.
Matt has had the pleasure of performing at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Throughout his career Matt has had the privilege of studying various forms of percussion with David Smith, Patrick Smith, Gene Koshinski, Tim Broscious, Ben Toth, Shane Shanahan, Sandeep Das, and Brendan Mason.
Matt is excited to return to 7th regiment for his third year in the role of Front Ensemble Coordinator and Caption Head.
JASON ARNOLD
Jason Arnold hails from Midland, TX. He is the Band Director and Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Notre Dame High School in West Haven, CT. Jason is also a faculty member at Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT), where he teaches Tuba and Euphonium Lessons. Mr. Arnold has taught in public and private schools in Texas, New York and Connecticut.
Jason joined 7th Regiment in 2017 as a Tuba Tech. His prior Drum Corps experience was with the DCA Connecticut Hurricanes as a member of the brass staff.
He holds degrees from West Texas A&M University and the Manhattan School of Music. He has studied with Arnold Jacobs, Sam Pilafian and Patrick Sheridan. He has performed in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to an on screen appearance on ABC’s All My Children.
Jason is thrilled to be back with 7th Regiment as a Co Brass Caption Head.
SEAN LEE
Sean Lee is from Albany NY, and currently lives in Haverhill, MA. Sean is the Band Director at Ipswich High School, where he directs the concert band, jazz ensemble, wind ensemble, and 6th grade band. He graduated from Boston University with a B.M. in Music Education and a concentration in Trumpet, where he studied privately with Terry Everson. Sean marched with the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps in 2011 and 2012.
During the Fall season, Sean serves as the Assistant Band Director with the Norwood High School Marching Mustangs. This summer will be his 5th season teaching 7th Regiment. “I have always enjoyed my time working with the talented students and educators at 7th Regiment, and I’m really looking forward to stepping into the leadership position with Jason Arnold.”
JESSE BURBANK
Jesse Burbank has been active in the marching arts for over a decade now as both a performer and an educator. After four years of high school marching band he became involved with drum corps as a tuba player for the Raiders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2007. Following two years at the Raiders, he left and joined the Cadets for his last four years, aging out in 2013. He held both the position of tuba section leader and Horn Sergeant in his time at the Cadets, and the impact that drum corps left on him lead him to pursue a teaching role in the activity.
After graduating from high school, Jesse has been involved in a number of different North Jersey marching band programs, but mainly, the Fair Lawn Marching Band, the West Orange Marching Band, and the Verona Marching Maroon and White. Jesse also began teaching back at the Raiders after having aged out. Since 2014, Jesse has worked for the 7th Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps; one year as a field tech and the last two as Visual Caption Head. Jesse is incredibly excited to continue to build on the success of last year’s program, leading another team of excellent staff members!
